Research and development of this invention and Application have not been federally sponsored, and no rights are given under any Federal program.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an air flow scent enhancer apparatus and system, in general, and to such apparatus as is usable in combination with the ductwork of a hot air heating system or a central air conditioning system in a home or office, in particular.
2. Description of the Related Art
The benefits of battery operated air fresheners in public restroom use have been known for some time. However, its applicability in home or office use is not only generally impractical, but to incorporate such air fresheners in every room is cost prohibitive at best. Still, having an ability to introduce a pleasant scent throughout the home or office to mask odors or otherwise would be a desirable thing to have especially if the cost to do so were kept down and reasonably low. Those continuously operating plug-in air freshening units powered from a wall outlet suffer the disadvantages that once activated, the gels employed are used up within a 30 days period, while their expense militates against their use in every room of the home or office. Several of these plug-in manufactures, furthermore, become even more undesirable, in their having to be replaced entirely, rather than just replacing the scent air freshener, deodorizer or disinfectant employed.
As will become clear from the following description, the air flow scent enhancing apparatus of the present invention proceeds upon the recognition that there exists in just about every home and/or office complex, a hot air heating system or a central air conditioning system connectable by various ductwork. Recognizing further that the blowers in such systems periodically go xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d, the present invention proceeds to utilize the forced air that flows when xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d to, itself, actuate a spray dispenser of air freshener, deodorizer or disinfectant to discharge its spray into the ductwork so as to be carried along into every room of the home or office by the forced air then flowing. As will become clear from the following description, a pressure differential switch is employed to sense the presence of such forced air flow in actuating an electrical circuit and connected motor in a preferred embodiment, to control a cam in actuating, for example, the pressure cap of an aerosol can spray, whose discharge nozzle is then connected by a hose which extends into the system ductwork. In accordance with the invention, the electrical circuit can be designed by those skilled in the art to dispense the air freshening, deodorizing or disinfectant spray a predetermined time interval (as 1, 2 or 3 seconds), at a repetition rate or frequency of every 15, 20 or 25 minutes, for examplexe2x80x94in any instance, only for so long a period of time as the blower continues to force along the air flow.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the air flow scent enhancing apparatus includes a housing with a removable cover in providing access to insert the aerosol can or other spray dispenser, and to replace it when emptied. The housing may likewise incorporate one or more adapters to mount or connect with a side of the ductwork found, along with an outlet to extend the hose at one end to a discharge nozzle of the dispenserxe2x80x94and at an opposite end, through a hole made in the ductwork so as to introduce the spray to be carried about by the forced air flow. By so doing, the apparatus of the invention will be seen to additionally provide a manner by which dust and/or bacteria buildup within the ductwork can similarly be cleaned and blown awayxe2x80x94all in an arrangement that can be installed simply and easily in a matter of just a few minutes, as by providing a mounting hole(s) on the ductwork, and by providing an input port adjacent the housing to receive the hose coupling. With the pressure differential switch also extending into the ductwork through yet a further opening made by the user, once the forced air flow is sensed, the electric circuit is actuated to generate the air freshening, deodorizing or disinfecting spray for the time interval selected, and to be repeated at regular intervals while the blower continues to operate. Just to replenish the scent at a later date, even when the heating or air conditioning system is not xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d, the homeowner or office worker can simply turn on a xe2x80x9cfanxe2x80x9d switch at the controlling thermostatxe2x80x94and, in this manner generate a forced air flow which is detected by the pressure differential switch sensor within the confines of the duct.